Germany Exchange
General Information
We are part of an exchange program with Gutenberg Gymnasium in Bergheim, Germany. As part of the exchange program, Fairview students are paired with students from Germany. The paired students communicate throughout the year. Then the German students come to the U.S. and spend 3 weeks with their partner -- living with the family and attending school at FHS. In June the students then travel with me to Germany and live with their partners' families and attend Gutenberg. The exchange takes place very other year and is sponsored by GAPP (the German-American Partnership Program).
The 2007-08 Exchange
14 students came to Fairview this fall from Gutenberg Gymnasium. They were here from September 21-October 14. They lived with Fairview families and attended classes at Fairview. While they were here, we had several special activities to help them get to know America and Americans a little better. We had a scavenger hunt around Boulder, day trips to Georgetown and Denver, a sports day and a weekend in Estes Park. For the second part of the exchange fifteen students will travel to Bergheim to spend 3 weeks with their exchange partners this summer from June 1 - 22.
The 2005-06 GAPP Exchange
Eleven students from Bergheim, along with their English teacher, came to Fairview High School from April 8-29. While the students were here, they lived with host families from Fairview and attended school to allow them to develop an understanding of what life is really like for an American teenager. They also took part in several fun activities and field trips, including spending a day in Denver, watching a Rockies baseball game, and spending a weekend hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park. They made many surprising discoveries while they were here. Americans eat much more than fast food, and amazingly, they eat a much more varied and healthy diet than the students had previously believed. Also, American students are extremely busy after school with almost all of them involved in sports, music or clubs, in contrast to German teenagers who usually just "hang out" with friends. They were also amazed by the Colorado weather with 80 degrees one day and snow the next. See lots of pictures of their visit at Matt's Website. Thanks, Matt!
The Fairview students then went to Germany from June 10 through July 2. While they were there, the students had the chance to live with their partners' families and see what family life in Germany is all about. They also went to school for 2 weeks of the time but didn't get to see much true instruction because students had already taken their last exams and were basically just "killing time" for the last 2 weeks. They also had the chance to tour several cities and castles, go to a theme park, take a boat ride on the Rhine and watch LOTS of World Cup soccer games. The students were excited about the chance to really use the language they're learning -- excited by what they knew and challenged by what they didn't. They tasted new foods and began to understand another culture, but what every student acknowledged gaining from the exchange experience was a deeper understanding of who they are and what they are capable of.
Contact WebMaster with comments and questions.
Fairview High School
1515 Greenbriar Boulevard
Boulder, Colorado 80305
(303) 499-7600